Several publications and patent documents are cited throughout the specification in order to describe the state of the art to which this invention pertains. Each of these citations is incorporated herein by reference as though set forth in full.
Nearly 30% of all patients with combat-related injuries returning from the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI), causing significant personal, social and economical impact to the country. The processes leading to neurodegeneration happen early and are irreversible, which makes the battlefield emergency treatment critical for patient brain function preservation and recovery. In addition to the military injuries, there are currently an estimated 1.7 million civilian cases of TBI annually. However, at present, no treatment for TBI is available as the brain is difficult to access with therapeutic agents due to the presence of the brain blood barrier (BBB).